Madison - Consumers will still be told how much interest they will pay at a rent-to-own businesses in Wisconsin.The Legislature's finance committee has blocked Republican Governor Scott Walker's plan to exempt rent-to-own businesses. A handful of Republicans, including Senate President Mike Ellis, have been pushing the committee to remove the proposal from the budget. The committee voted 10-6 yesterday to eliminate the plan.
Wisconsin's consumer protection laws currently require creditors to disclose interest rates in rent-to-own contracts. Critics say the industry preys on the poor with exorbitant interest rates. Rent-to-own business say their contracts aren't credit transactions and shouldn't fall under the consumer laws. (Copyright 2013 Associated Press - All Rights Reserved)